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High as the Heavens Joanna Forbes L’Estrange a gospel-style setting of Psalm 103
SSA div (unaccomp.) andagio
High as the heavens I’ve always wanted to set these words from Psalm 103 because they remind me of Irving Berlin’s lyrics for his love song ‘How deep is the ocean’: How much do I love you / I’ll tell you no lie / How deep is the ocean / How high is the sky? In the Psalm, the love being described is God’s and this time it’s the height of the heavens above the earth rather than the depth of the sea which is chosen to represent the true extent of that love. The Psalms are full of great imagery such as this, making them ideal for musical settings. I’ve chosen to set the words in a three-part gospel style for unaccompanied upper voices. The piece should be sung with plenty of expression and with a rock-solid pulse; I’ve suggested optional percussion because this will help your singers to maintain the groove throughout. Above all, the words should be clear and as speechlike as possible and the “h” on each iteration of “high” should be generously aspirated!
‘High as the heavens’ is a joyful and uplifting piece so sing it with a smile and you can’t go wrong.
Joanna Forbes L’ Estrange
Commissioned by Helen Vickery for Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, London. The first performance was given on April 1st 2019 at Cadogan Hall, London, by pupils of Francis Holland School. Copyright © 2018
andagio
Scoring: SSA + optional percussion (eg shaker, cajon)
visit www.joannaforbeslestrange.com/composing
High as the heavens Words from Psalm 103
Joanna Forbes L'Estrange
Unhurried but with groove q = 90 INTRO SOPRANO 1
mf ° #### 4 Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & 4 J High, mf
ALTO
high,
#### 4 j & 4 Œ œ- œ ‰ Œ
SOPRANO 2
#### 4 mf 4˙ ¢& -
high,
° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J
¢
mf
High, 9
Œ œ -
High,
˙-
high,
high,
high,
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙high,
high,
high,
high,
ha
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙high,
high,
high,
high, mf
‰™
j œ œ œ œ > high,
high,
high,
For as
mf
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ œ œ > ha
r œ œ œ œ™ -
high,
high,
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ œ œ >
ha
high,
j œ ‰ Œ
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ >
‰™ r œ œ œ œ™ high,
high,
mf
ha
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
high,
#### Œ j & œ- œ ‰ Œ ## &##
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-
Œ œ™ œ œ ‰ Œ J
High,
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ >
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
high,
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-
mf
high,
Œ œ œj ‰ Œ -
High,
High,
5
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ J
ha
high,
For as
j œ œ œ œ > high,
For as
CHORUS 1
° #### ‰ fj j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
## & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
#### f‰ ‰ j j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ 13
High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
œ œ And as
œ œ And as
œ œ And as
° #### ‰ j Œ & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ far as the east is from the west, So far has He re - moved our trans - gres - sions. ## Œ & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ ˙ œ™ œ œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east is from the west, So far has He re - moved our trans - gres - sions. #### ‰ ‰ j Œ j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ ˙ far as the east
is
from the
west,
© 2018
So
far has He re - moved
andagio
our trans - gres - sions.
4 17
VERSE 1
° #### mp Œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ & J
j Œ œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ œ œ œ™
As a fa - ther has com - pas - sion on his chil - dren,
#### p & w
So the Lord has
ooh
¢
## &##
com - pas - sion on us;
p
w
‰ j œ œ ™ œ œ œ œ™
˙™
nw
ooh 21
For He knows
just
#### & w
j ‰ j œ œ œ œ œ œj œ™ œ œ œ -œ œ œ œ
what we're made of
And He re - mem - bers that
that
w
˙™
nw
ooh 25
we
are dust. For as
‰ j œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙™
w
ooh
¢
‰
com - pas - sion on us;
° #### Œ œ œ œ œj œ œj Œ œ œ œ œ œ ™ & J
#### &
com - pas - sion on us;
‰ j œ™ œ œ œ j ‰ œ œ œ
˙™
w
‰
we
are dust. For as
‰ j œ™ œ
j œ œ- œ œ
that
we
are dust. For as
CHORUS 2
° #### ‰ f j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
## & # # ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
#### ‰ ‰ j & j ¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
œ œ And as
œ œ And as
œ œ And as
29
° #### ‰ j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ n œ œ ˙ œ far as the east
is
#### ‰ j & œ œ œœœ œ œ far as the east
is
from the
west,
So
far has He re - moved
‰ j œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œnœ œ from the
west,
So
far has He re - moved
#### ‰ ‰ j j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœœ far as the east
is
from the
west,
© 2018
So
andagio
far has He re - moved
Œ
our trans - gres - sions.
œ œ œ œ ˙
Œ
our trans - gres - sions.
œ œ œ œ ˙
our trans - gres - sions.
Œ
33
5
VERSE 2
° #### p & w
‰ j œ œœœ j‰ œ œ œ œ
˙™
w
hoo
the flo - wer of
#### ‰ mpj œ œ œ œ™ & œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ Œ œ J The life of mor - tals
¢
## &##
is
like the grass,
the
field.
‰ j œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™ œ
‰
‰ j œ œ œ œ œ œ œ™
‰
They flou - rish like
the flo - wer of
the field.
p
w
˙™
nw
hoo
the flo - wer of
the field.
37
° #### & œ™
-œ œ glis s. œ J
hoo
hoo
## & # # ‰ œj œ #### & ¢ œ™
re - mem - bers it
œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œœœ œ Œ œ J
The wind blows ov - er it
and
j œ- œglis s. œ
hoo 41
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
˙™
w
it is gone;
Œ œ œ œ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ And its place
hoo
re - mem - bers it
no more. For as
‰ j œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ
˙™
nw
no more. For as
re - mem - bers it
no more. For as
CHORUS 3
° #### ‰ fœ œ œ œ œ œ & œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œJ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ J High as the hea - vens are a -
bove the earth,
So great is his love for those who fear
him;
œ œ And as
f
# ## j j & # ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ˙ œ High as the hea - vens are a f
bove the earth,
So great is his love for those who fear
#### ‰ j ¢& œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ œ œ œ ‰ œj œ œ œ n œ œ œ œ œ œ High as the hea - vens are a -
bove the earth,
45
° #### ‰ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ & J far
as the east
is
#### ‰ j & œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ far
as the east
#### ‰ j & ¢ œ œ œ œ œ far
as the east
is
œ is
So great is his love for those who fear
œ™ œ œ œ œ from
the
west,
œ™ œ œ œ œ from
the
west,
œ™ œ œ œ œ from
the
west,
© 2018
andagio
‰ œ J
So
him;
˙ him;
œ œ And as
œ œ And as
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ â ä far has He re - moved
our trans -
â ‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ ä So
‰
far has He re - moved
j œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ So
far has He re - moved
our trans -
â œ œ ä our trans -
6
CHORUS 4 HAND-CLAPS (all)
48
/ #### &
Œ
∑
## &##
Œ
œ œ ˙
-œ
Œ
High, mf
œ
Œ
œ ˙
Œ
œ-
œ
˙
œœ
gres
- sion(s)
High,
œ
Œ
œ˙
#### & ¢ œ
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
j œ‰ Œ
Œ œ -
j œ‰ Œ
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
Œ
˙
Œ
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-
˙High, f
high,
high,
‰ ™ œr œ œ œ œ ™ n œ œ ™ nœ œ œ -
high,
high,
high,
high,
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ
So great is his love for those who
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œœ
‰ j œ œ œ œnœ œ œ œ œ
‰ j œ œœœœœ œœ œ œœœ
‰ j œ œ œœœœœ œ œ
So great is his love for those who
So great is his love for those who
¿
Œ
¿
Œ
¿
> #### œ œ œ . & œ- ™ œ œ œ œ
Œ
-œ
œ ‰ J
Œ
Œ
œ™ œ œ ‰ J
## & # # œ ™ œ œ. œ œ œ œ œ >
Œ
¿
° #### &
## &##
high,
high,
ha
high,
Ϫ -
j œ œ œ #œ œ >
high,
œ
fear
# ## (2) & #
¿
Œ
¿
mf
ha mf
## &##
¿
high,
High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth,
Œ
Œ
Œ
/
¢
œ‰ Œ J
High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f
gres - sions.
(1)
Œ -œ
High as the hea - vens are a - bove the earth, f
gres - sions.
52
œ‰ Œ J
high,
Π¿
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
Œ
gres - sions.
## &##
Œ
high,
mf
° #### œ ˙ & œ (2)
ΠHigh,
gres - sions.
## &##
¿
mf
gres - sions.
(1)
Œ
¿
high,
œ ˙ him;
œ œ ˙ fear
him;
œ œ ˙ fear
him;
High,
high,
high,
œ œ
And as
Œ
High,
r œ œ œ high,
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east
is
‰ œj œ œ œ œ œ œ far as the east
‰
is
j œ œ œœœ œ œ œ far as the east © 2018
j œ ‰
œ-
Œ
high,
‰™
˙-
And as
œ œ
Œ
High,
And as
œ œ
high,
j œ ‰
œ-
Œ
andagio
is
‰™
˙high,
high,
œ™ œ œ œ œ from the
So
‰
west,
œ™ œ œ œ œ from the
‰ œj
west,
œ™ œ œ œ œ from the
r œ œ œ
west,
j œ So
‰
j œ So
7 STOP CLAPS
55
Œ
/
Œ
¿
#### Π&
‰
ha
high,
# ## (1) & # Œ
Ϫ
‰
nœ œ ™
Œ
œ- ™
nœ œ
high,
œ
high,
° #### & œ
œ
œ
œ œ œ
far
has
He
re - moved
our
## &## œ
œ
œ
œ nœ œ
œ
œ
far
has
He
re - moved
our
trans
(2)
¢
#### &
œ
far 57
œ
has
He
œ nœ
re - moved
High, mf
œ œ.
trans
œ
œ
our
trans
œ >
‰
œ J
œ
‰
j œ
œ
‰
Œ -œ œ ‰ J
Ϫ high,
high,
œ
- gres
œ
-
œ
- gres
œ
˙ ˙ -
œ
- gres
˙ -
Œ
c
Œ
c
Œ
c
sions.
mf
˙-
high,
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙-
High,
high,
high,
high,
high,
High,
#### Œ j & œ- œ ‰ Œ ˙High,
high,
Œ œ™ œ œ ‰ Œ J j œ ‰ Œ
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
high,
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ > high,
high,
j œ œ œ œ > high,
high,
Œ œ -
‰ ™ œr œ œ ˙high,
r œ œ œ ˙ high,
© 2018
high,
andagio
‰™
high.
U œ œ- ™ œ œ. > ˙
f
ha
high,
‰™
>œ U ˙ . œ œ- ™ œ
f
ha
high,
high,
high,
mf
r œ œ œ œ™ -
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
High,
#### &
high,
poco rit.
61
° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J
‰™
r œ œ œ ˙ -
œ- ™ œ œ. œ œ Œ >
ha
high,
‰™
mf
ha
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
Œ
L
sions.
Œ œ ™ œ œj ‰ Œ
Œ
L
sions.
high,
Œ œ œj ‰ -
High,
#### &
L
high,
j œ >
œ
high,
# ## j (All) & # Œ œ œ ‰ Œ -
¢
œ
OUTRO
mf ° #### Œ -œ œ ‰ Œ & J
¢
œ
œ œ œ
œ
œ J
high,
ha mf
Ϫ
œ-
> œ
¿
mf
j œ œ
high,
#### &
œ œ.
œ- ™
Œ
Œ
¿
mf
j œ œ
Ϫ
Œ
¿
high.
U r œ œ œ œ™ œ œ. >œ ˙ f
high,
ha
high.
Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (b.1971) is a British singer, songwriter and choral composer who receives engagements throughout the world. A Master of Arts music graduate of Oxford University, she began her career as soprano and Musical Director of the five-time Grammy® Award-winning a cappella group the Swingle Singers, during which time she started composing and arranging music. She is founder and artistic director of the all-female vocal group AQUILA and appeared as a judge on the Sky 1 television series Sing: Ultimate A Cappella. In 2018, she made history with her charity single Twenty-first-century Woman, the first all-female recording session ever to have taken place at Abbey Road Studios. For more information visit joannaforbeslestrange.com Facebook Joanna Forbes L’Estrange; Twitter @JoForbesLE; Instagram @joforbeslestrange
L’Estrange Music … for you and your choir For perusal scores, audio demos, learning resources, videos and to order sheet music go to lestrangemusic.com To book us to run a rehearsal on our music with your choir or to commission us to write a new piece/arrangement for your choir and for any other enquiries email us info@lestrangemusic.com To be the first to hear about new music from L’Estrange Music Like us on Facebook L’Estrange Music Follow us on Twitter @ForbesLEstrange Follow us on Instagram @lestrangesinthenight See back page for more pieces for Upper Voice Choirs
L’Estrange Music More pieces for Upper Voice Choirs by Alexander L’Estrange & Joanna Forbes L’Estrange
Amazing Grace An Irish Blessing A Woman (Wearing Bloomers) on a Wheel Three Eva Cassidy songs Friends Apart and True Give Us Grace High as the Heavens Hodie! Let Nothing Disturb Thee Love’s Philosophy New College Service On Eagles’ Wings Panis Angelicus St Swithun’s Preces & Responses Suffragette March The Chorister’s Prayer There Will Always Be Music The Three Wise Women The Twyford Carols This is our World Twenty-first-century Woman We Will Remember Them Winter Songs
SSAA (unaccomp.) SSA + piano & opt. flute SSA + piano SA + piano SSAA + piano SSAA (optional piano) SSAA (unaccomp.) SA + organ SA + organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ 2-part trebles + organ SSA + organ SSA + optional organ SA + piano 2-part trebles + organ SSA + piano SSA + piano SA + piano & opt. percussion SSAA + piano SSA + piano SSA + piano & opt. trumpet Unison/2-part + piano
www.lestrangemusic.com
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